Prolonged exposure to stress is found to profoundly change the internal chemistry of the body. These changes can cause a mild to significant decline in the body's overall health. The body's natural reaction to stress can cause, aggravate, and temporarily treat the symptoms of chronic urticaria. Chronic hives are only one of many physical reactions attributed to the hormonal imbalance caused by ongoing exposure to stress. Women are found to be more sensitive to illness due to a stress-related hormonal imbalance because of normal monthly changes in estrogen levels, particularly chronic hives and pre-menstrual syndrome. If an individual experiences recurring skin rashes absent of any pattern of physical exposure to an allergen, the evidence presented strongly supports that it is prudent to suspect stress as the source of the reaction.

There are many effective treatments for the symptoms of this type of stress reaction. However, the key to long-term success in symptom management is identifying stress as the likely source and making the necessary lifestyle adjustments to improve the body's hormonal balance. As previously stated, the body's reaction to prolonged stress is capricious and difficult to accurately measure before significant damage already takes place. Self-evaluation is necessary to approximately measure the success or failure of a stress management program.

This is not an overnight cure for chronic idiopathic hives, which is what every sufferer wishes for, but it could be a significant step in the right direction. This site includes stress-reducing advice and several links related to stress and hives. You are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the wealth of information offered here. It cannot be stressed enough that a person's overall health and wellness is dependent on recognizing the stressors in their lives and either minimizing or effectively managing their reactions to them.